Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Echoes of MLO
Echoes Of MLO
Michael Leonarod Ostrowski
41 year old singer and songwriter.
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
My first real connection with music came when I was around seven or eight years old. I vividly remember my father playing Pink Floyd at full volume in the living room. For years after that, he played much of the same music on our road trips, and it quietly shaped the way I listened to and felt music.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
My passion for music started early. I grew up surrounded by it—my father played guitar in church, my mother sang in the choir, and music was always part of everyday life. In my teens, my father taught me how to play guitar by showing me a few basic chords, and that opened a new door for me.
What began as listening and observing slowly turned into experimenting, writing melodies, and creating my own songs. Over time, music became the most natural way for me to express myself.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
A few years ago, I released music under the solo project M.L.O, named after my initials, Michael Leonard Ostrowski. The project gained modest traction in Denmark, leading to a distribution deal with Sony Music, a single release, and some smaller media attention.
Then it stopped.I lost the passion. For a couple of years, I barely touched music at all.
In 2025, something shifted. I picked up the guitar without a plan—and the melodies came flooding back. It felt familiar, almost like muscle memory, reigniting the same creative spark I had during my earlier work. That moment became the foundation of Echoes of MLO: a new project that carries traces and echoes of the past while moving forward, where fragments of who I was still resonate in what I create now.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
I’ve always aimed to make songs that catch you off guard—music that subtly plays with your ears. In this new project, I lean into a darker pop sound with elements of pop and rock. If you listen to my earlier work, you’ll recognize pieces of the old me—now reshaped into something new.
I’d describe my sound as The Weeknd meeting Keith Urband in a stuck elevator and instead of panicking they sit down and write songs togethe 😀
What is one thing your learned that completly changed the way you make music?
One thing I learned that completely changed the way I make music is that stepping away can be just as important as pushing forward. For a long time, I felt pressure to constantly create and improve, but taking a break helped me reset and reconnect with why I make music in the first place. Now I trust my instincts more and focus on feeling rather than overthinking the process.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
The guitar is usually where my melodies begin, but inspiration can strike anywhere. Sometimes a song starts as a melody I hum while driving, which later grows into a full track. In this new project, I experiment with AI as a creative tool, combining it with traditional studio methods to develop ideas into finished songs alongside the producer.
The music industry is changing, and I’m choosing to adapt rather than resist it. I know AI divides opinions, but its role is only expanding—and for me, it’s another way to explore ideas, shape demos, and push creativity forward without losing the human core.
Which indie artist or song are loving right now?
I really like an artist at the moment called David J. He is an Nashville artist with great catchy songs.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
My music is shaped by the different phases I’ve gone through in life. Growing up around music had a big influence on me, and stepping away from making music for a while helped me understand why I actually want to create. When I came back, I had a clearer sense of what felt honest and meaningful to me.
Today, I focus on writing music that feels real and emotional rather than overthinking it. I draw from my past, but I’m also open to trying new sounds and tools. That mix of experience and curiosity is what drives my music and artistic direction now.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
I don’t try to tell people what to feel, but I hope the music creates a space where listeners can recognize something in themselves. Most of my songs come from reflection, tension, and emotion that isn’t always easy to explain. If someone feels understood, comforted, or less alone while listening, then the music has done its job.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
The most important lesson music has taught me is patience. Creativity isn’t something you can force, and stepping away doesn’t mean you’ve failed. Sometimes distance is necessary to grow, both as an artist and as a person. Learning to trust the process—and myself—has been more important than chasing results – Plus always have fun and don’t take yourself to serious.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
I think playing at big stadiums around the world would be the biggest the dream.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
If I had to choose someone, it would be Kelly Jones from Stereophonics. Even though we have very different voices and come from different genres, collaborating with him would be huge for me.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
https://www.instagram.com/echoes_of_mlo/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4CuaH5f2gI47sveZsIVwHF?si=ZQyYCtC1REyAu1nt3atSew
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
At some point I want this next chapter to be about growth—artistically and personally. Pushing the sound further, reaching new listeners, and turning the project into something that can live both on record and on stage.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
I hope listeners discover the person behind the songs, not just the sound. The music is a reflection of change, uncertainty, and growth, and I don’t try to hide that. If people can hear that I’m still learning, still searching, and still honest in the process, then that connection means everything to me.
If you want here you can add a representative Youtube video to insert below the interview 🙂
I dont have anything at the moment.
